Chapter 193

In the first quarter, the Lakers showed 120% of their fighting strength. The two teams, which had seemed evenly matched in Zhou Yi’s eyes, now had the Lakers leading by a full 7 points—a situation Zhou Yi hadn’t anticipated. Back on the bench, John Kuester immediately made adjustments. With the start of the second quarter, it was the turn of the bench players to step in, with only the strongest defender, Andre Iguodala, and the interior player Greg Monroe remaining from the starting lineup; the rest took a break. Ben Gordon replaced Tracy McGrady, Will Bynum replaced Zhou Yi, Greg Monroe replaced Tyler Hansbrough, and veteran Ben Wallace replaced Samuel Dalembert. Once the bench players entered the game, they fought against the Lakers’ bench players, but it was clear that the Pistons’ bench wasn’t a match for the Lakers’. The Lakers’ bench players had a distinct style: they only added to an already strong performance rather than stepping in to help when things got tough. With their team already in the lead and playing at home, this favorable situation was exactly the kind of playstyle the Lakers’ bench players preferred. Already slightly inferior in skill, and now facing opponents with greater strength and spirit, the Pistons’ bench players showed signs of collapse within just under three minutes of entering the game. At this point, Greg Monroe, the team’s interior pillar, finally stepped up. Instead of using his strength to block early in the paint, with two opponents over 6 feet dominating the interior while he was the only one on his side, making him vulnerable to double teams, he wasn’t afraid of facing those double teams. However, there was no need to rely on raw strength from the start of the game; wisely managing his energy was key to maintaining pressure on the opponent throughout. With this in mind, Greg Monroe abandoned the idea of positioning in the paint and instead moved to the high post to set up a pick-and-roll for Will Bynum. Seeing Greg Monroe quickly move up from the paint, Paul Gasol also followed suit. Taking advantage of Greg Monroe’s high-post pick-and-roll, Will Bynum accelerated and charged toward the Lakers’ interior. As Will Bynum tried to break through around Greg Monroe, the Lakers’ point guard, Steve Blake, attempted to block his path by moving around Greg Monroe. Paul Gasol also moved ahead, raising his hands to block any possible route for Will Bynum to break through.

But the moment they saw that Will Bynum, running toward Greg Monroe, had no ball in his hands, they were both stunned. “Where’s the ball?” they wondered at the same time. With a swish, Steve Blake and Paul Gasol turned to see the basketball fall from the basket and get caught by their teammate Joe Smith, who was standing under it. Looking at the ball in Joe Smith’s hands and Greg Monroe raising his right hand just inside the three-point line, Paul Gasol thought to himself that he had underestimated this guy. Greg Monroe quickly stepped back and, as Will Bynum ran past him, gave him an excited high-five. Steve Blake took the inbound pass from his teammate Joe Smith and then slowly moved the ball toward the Pistons’ half-court. Paul Gasol used his stronger physique to block Greg Monroe and try to get the ball inside the paint. Seeing this, Steve Blake threw a high pass into the paint. But they all underestimated Greg Monroe’s reaction. With a slap, Greg Monroe sent Steve Blake’s pass flying to the other side. Yet, to Greg Monroe’s frustration, the ball remained in the Lakers’ possession. After grabbing the ball, Joe Smith charged at Ben Wallace, spun past Yi Jianlian, and headed straight for the basket, looking like he was about to pull off an amazing dunk. Seeing Ben Wallace get passed, Greg Monroe immediately turned around to help defend Joe Smith, but he didn’t relax his attention on Paul Gasol either. “That old guy will most likely pass it to that weakling Paul, yeah, that’s what’ll happen,” Greg Monroe thought. As Joe Smith rushed to the basket, he smirked upon seeing Greg Monroe approaching, then, as he tried to lay up, flipped his hand and passed the ball to Paul Gasol behind Greg Monroe. Greg Monroe wasn’t surprised at all; instead, he was pleased. Taking advantage of Greg Monroe’s turned-back position, Paul Gasol raised the ball high, ready to dunk with force. But at that critical moment, a big hand pressed down on the ball in Paul Gasol’s hands, knocking it straight out of the court. “That’s awesome! Greg’s block is really inspiring,” Zhou Yi said excitedly, standing up from the sidelines.

“Yes, this guy has finally brought out our fighting spirit. Hehe, now it’s our turn to counterattack.” Maddie also stood up from his seat, saying happily.
“Good job, Greg, that’s it.” John Kuster walked to the sidelines and shouted at Greg Monroe in the court.
“Got it, boss,” Greg Monroe replied with a smile.
Paul Gasol shook his hair and stared fiercely at Greg Monroe. To Zhou Yi, he didn’t seem to have the slightest hint of softness, as people said.
Chapter 422: Rookie’s Inside Game
Lamar Odom initiated the play from the sideline, and Steve Blake carefully coordinated the Heat’s offense after catching the ball.
Since entering the game, he hadn’t shown any performance yet. As the team’s primary backup point guard, Steve Blake was under quite a bit of pressure.
Steve Blake stopped just a step outside the three-point line and waved for Paul Gasol to come over to set up a pick-and-roll with him.
Steve Blake knew very well that although Will Bynum’s movement wasn’t as fast as his own, his own breakthroughs also wouldn’t allow him to pull away from Bynum by much.
What he wanted was that initial advantage, using Joe Smith as a shield to either get around Bynum’s defensive movements or draw Greg Monroe, who had just blocked Paul Gasol, away from the paint.
Steve Blake didn’t want Paul Gasol’s tragedy to repeat itself on him, but he was also quite shocked by Paul Gasol’s strength—he was aware of it.
Seeing Paul Gasol move up, Greg Monroe naturally followed.
“An opportunity!” Steve Blake saw Greg Monroe leave the paint along with their center and quickly switched the ball to his left hand, crouching down and accelerating.
Will Bynum suddenly realized that his opponent was much faster than before, and his attempts to retreat had already cost him the chance to defend immediately.
Moreover, Joe Smith, who was coming from behind, also slowed down his defensive path, leaving him helpless as Steve Blake rushed toward the basket.
“Made it!” Steve Blake was delighted. Now, all he could see was the Pistons’ basket.
Accelerating, leaping—he intended to end this offensive play with a beautiful dunk.

Steve Blake was incredibly close to the basket; his body, in mid-air, resembled a black lightning bolt, with his right hand, holding the ball, channeling all his strength for a sprint. At that moment, Steve Blake’s eyes were fixed solely on the basket right in front of him, unable to see the expressions of his teammates. If he could have seen, he would surely have picked up something from those surprised looks. The instant Steve Blake’s hand pushed the ball toward the basket, a large hand appeared magically between the ball and the basket. “Slap!” A crisp, loud sound echoed throughout the arena, as if that slap had struck the hearts of all Lakers fans once again. Losing his balance in mid-air, Steve Blake flew across the baseline and crashed hard into the backboard. Just before hitting the ground, he saw a tall figure falling from above him, his right hand still in the position it was in when he tried to block Steve Blake’s shot. “Bang, bang, bang”—the ball rolled out of the court. “Amazing…” “Greg’s done it again…” “So cool…” Greg Monroe’s two consecutive brilliant blocks earned praise from many Pistons fans in attendance. Fans shouted Greg Monroe’s name loudly, and half of the arena was in an uproar. Lying under the backboard, Steve Blake had no idea what had happened behind him just moments ago. When did that annoying guy appear behind him? If not for him, that attack would have ended perfectly. Although he didn’t see how he was blocked by Greg Monroe, the fans in the stands, as well as the players and coaches of both teams, clearly saw the entire process of the block. When Joe Smith went up to the top of the key to set a screen, Greg Monroe followed behind him, ready to help Will Bynum with defense. Steve Blake rushed forward before Joe Smith on his side could fully position himself, partly because he was confident in his own speed, and partly due to his eagerness to prove himself since he hadn’t scored yet. Greg Monroe’s ability to follow closely wasn’t as fast as he expected, because he knew this guy was very quick. Fearing he wouldn’t be able to form an effective defense with Will Bynum right away, he decided to stay behind.

Just then, Steve Blake used Joe Smith as a shield to break through, not realizing that Greg Monroe hadn’t fully followed Joe Smith to the top of the key. At that moment of misalignment, not only was Will Bynum’s movement blocked, but Greg Monroe’s view was also obstructed by Joe Smith. In that instant, Greg Monroe was like a predatory lion, lurking behind his prey ready to strike. The moment Steve Blake jumped into the air, Greg Monroe revealed his sharp teeth. With a height difference of over 30 centimeters, combined with Greg Monroe’s long arms and excellent jumping ability, a clean and beautiful block was achieved. This impressive block clearly didn’t involve any foul, but since the ball was sent out of bounds by Greg Monroe, the Lakers still retained possession. The Lakers launched an attack, with Steve Blake in control of the ball. Paul Gasol took advantage of his teammate Lamar Odom’s screen to drive straight to the baseline, receiving a timely pass from Steve Blake for a open jump shot. With a swish, the ball went through the net! Paul Gasol pumped his fist in excitement. The offense and defense switched. Greg Monroe quickly rushed into the opponent’s paint, then pushed against Joe Smith behind him to get the ball from point guard Will Bynum, who was already at the top of the key. Will Bynum used a clever change of direction to break free from his defenders and threw the ball high into the paint. Greg Monroe used his long arms to successfully grab the ball mid-air. Seeing that he couldn’t stop Greg Monroe from catching the ball, Joe Smith tried to push him away by bracing his arms against Greg Monroe’s back, aiming to push him out of the three-second line. It was a pure power struggle—Greg Monroe moved forward slightly before suddenly pushing back. Joe Smith, clearly having been attacked with this tactic many times before, could only push forward forcefully, hoping not to be pushed too hard. But the next second completely ruined his plans; the impact didn’t happen as he expected. Instead, just as the two were about to make contact, Greg Monroe darted past him quickly along the baseline like a top. Joe Smith, who was defending Greg Monroe, had his balance completely disrupted by Greg Monroe’s sudden move and was unable to make any further defensive move.

Greg Monroe executed a beautiful backdoor layup, finishing the move with a standard bounce shot into the basket. The whole sequence was quick and concise, leaving Joe Smith helpless to do anything but watch Monroe’s performance. Zhou Yi and others on the sidelines applauded loudly for Monroe’s outstanding play, while many Pistons fans cheered excitedly for their team. Steve Blake, watching Monroe wave his arms, was filled with anger. Yet he kept reminding himself to stay calm—only by staying calm could he deliver a strong offensive response against Monroe. As Will Bynum closed in to defend him, Steve Blake began to calmly assess his advantages. His previous move had been too hasty; if he hadn’t been so eager to show off, he wouldn’t have given Bynum a chance to block the shot. Bynum watched closely as Steve Blake dribbled back and forth along the three-point line, looking for an opportunity. From that previous breakthrough, he already knew Blake wasn’t slow—at least not any slower than himself. If given too much space, his situation would be dire. Ten seconds had passed since he gained possession, and Steve Blake suddenly changed his dribbling rhythm, breaking toward Bynum’s right side and rushing toward the baseline. Bynum raised his arms high and started retreating quickly, trying to block his path. Just before Blake reached the baseline, Bynum’s stepsjust right blocked his way forward. Yi Jian also came in from the side, forcing Blake into a tight corner with Bynum and James Posey surrounding him. Suddenly, as Bynum closed in, Blake pushed off the ground with force, raised his hands holding the ball high, yet his entire body seemed to drift farther away from Bynum’s sight. “A fadeaway shot?” It turned out Blake had first used his speed to widen the defensive distance between him and Bynum, and then, once he was in position, used a fadeaway shot to break through Bynum’s defense. With no room to lung forward, Bynum could only raise his arms symbolically, trying to block Blake’s shooting line of sight.

The basketball lightly slipped from Steve Blake’s fingertips, passing over Will Bynum’s barely raised hands as it flew toward the basket. Seeing Will Bynum’s astonished and worried expression, Steve Blake’s anger finally subsided a bit. “Thwack!” Another crisp sound! Fear appeared on Steve Blake’s face as he saw a tall figure appear like lightning behind Will Bynum as he jumped; that ghostly hand swatted the still-rising basketball out of the court once again. “Great job, Greg…” Zhou Yi shouted loudly, unable to hide his excitement. “That was amazing…” McGrady also cheered from the side. The Pistons’ bench members stood up, all calling out to Greg Monroe. Although this was the Lakers’ home court, there were also many Pistons fans who loudly cheered for Greg Monroe. Even though Zhou Yi wasn’t on the court at that moment, they were still as excited as ever. “Greg… Monroe…” Cheers filled the arena. Greg Monroe, this first-year rookie, single-handedly carried the Pistons after the starters left, gradually closing the score gap, performing even better than the home team’s Paul Gasol. Chapter 423: The Beast Attacks Greg Monroe’s breakout allowed the Pistons to gradually catch up in the score. John Kuester took advantage of this opportunity to bring in all the starters. At this point, more than five minutes had passed in the second quarter, with the score at 39:40, the Pistons still trailing by 1 point. Ron Artest’s breakthrough drew the Pistons’ defense, after which he quickly passed the ball to the outside, where Kobe took a shot from three points away. “Thud”—the force behind the shot seemed a bit weak; the ball hit right at the front of the rim. Zhou Yi quickly rushed forward and grabbed the rebound. With a slight shake of his wrist, he sent the ball along the sideline to McGrady’s hands. McGrady easily got past Derek Fisher with a crossover move and shot from beyond the three-point line. “Thud”—the Lakers’ basket rejected McGrady’s shot. The ball bounced high and landed right on the back of the rim, giving the Lakers possession. McGrady didn’t retreat immediately. As soon as the Lakers passed the ball, he surrounded Derek Fisher. Although McGrady’s defense wasn’t outstanding, against the ball-handler Derek Fisher, his defense still caused enough trouble for his opponent.

The ball landed in Paul Gasol’s hands, and Derek Fisher breathed a sigh of relief—he had almost failed to get the ball across half-court within eight seconds. Paul Gasol gently bumped Greg Monroe’s chest with his left shoulder and quickly broke through from Monroe’s left side. Monroe was caught off guard and, unwilling to give up, stepped back two steps under the force of momentum before blocking Gasol’s path again. Gasol frowned and glanced sideways to see Andre Iguodala rushing toward him. With no choice, he passed the ball to the outside; Ron Artest caught it and quickly accelerated toward the paint, but things weren’t as simple as he thought. Gasol’s pass ended Iguodala’s attempt at a double-team. But as the ball went to Artest, Iguodala immediately closed in, positioning himself right in Artest’s path. Artest stepped heavily on the floor, leaned forward to hold on, and threw the ball backward. On the path of the ball, Kobe appeared at the three-point line. After catching it, he jumped high and flicked his wrist, sending the ball on a beautiful arc through the air. “Swish”—the ball went through the net, giving the Lakers a temporary 43–39 lead over the Pistons. Zhou Yi caught the ball in the backcourt and immediately passed it long. The ball traveled across most of the court and landed in McGrady’s hands. McGrady used a clever feint to trick Derek Fisher, who jumped in response, and then drove straight at him. “Clang”—the off-balance shot hit the back of the rim. But after the miss, the referee’s whistle blew. The referee awarded McGrady two free throws, which he easily made. After both teams’ starters returned to the court, their attacks seemed to focus on the outside. McGrady and Kobe became the main offensive forces on the outside, and their consecutive scores put the game in a stalemate. “Swish”—McGrady hit another mid-range jump shot, reducing the Pistons’ deficit to just 1 point, 50–51. Of the nearly ten points the Pistons scored during this period, eight came from McGrady, while eight of the Lakers’ ten points also came from Kobe.

John Kuster nodded in satisfaction. As the finals intensified, McGrady’s performance improved dramatically, showing more of the traits of a superstar from his prime, with significant progress from the earlier rounds of the playoffs.
“Great job!” Zhou Yi stepped forward, hugged McGrady tightly, and exclaimed excitedly.
Amidst the boos from the entire Lakers crowd, McGrady turned around, faced the Lakers fans, placed one hand behind his ear, and waved his other hand excitedly in the air.
McGrady’s provocative actions further enraged the Lakers fans, and the referee, faced with the furious crowd, reluctantly gave McGrady a technical foul.
McGrady looked at the referee innocently, spreading his hands gently, making the referee feel somewhat reluctant to penalize him.
Watching McGrady’s behavior, John Kuster smiled and shook his head. The Pistons were always a team full of enthusiasm; they never lacked passion. Zhou Yi’s occasional recklessness was nothing compared to McGrady, who usually seemed so humble—yet today he showed such arrogance.
It wasn’t surprising, though. McGrady had once been a top-tier star on par with Kobe but had never made it past the second round of the playoffs. This season, the Pistons had reached the finals and were even leading the Lakers 2:0, making McGrady feel as if the championship trophy was within reach—hence his behavior, which didn’t match his usual style.
Kobe easily made the free throw.
Disturbed by McGrady’s interference, Derek Fisher grew frustrated and passed the ball long, sending it straight to Kobe near the center court.
Now, Zhou Yi was directly facing Kobe, while McGrady naturally faced Derek Fisher.
“Be careful!” Phil Jackson stood up excitedly, but his warning came too late. A lightning-fast figure emerged from behind Kobe and easily intercepted the Lakers’ pass.
Kobe reacted quickly. The moment the ball was intercepted, he rushed forward, but the more he chased, the more frustrated he became—the opponent’s speed in driving with the ball was much faster than his own. As the distance between them grew, all he could see was the large number 37.
With a loud cry, he stepped inside the free-throw line, pushed off the ground with his right foot, soared into the air, holding the basketball high above his head. His flying figure was like a sharp sword slashing into the Lakers’ interior.
Zhou Yi, soaring in the air, showcased his skills to the fullest, slamming the ball hard into the basket with one hand.

“A thud” – the loud sound of a dunk echoed throughout the Staples Center. It was a perfect blend of power and grace. Zhou Yi’s dunk lacked the brute force of players like Carter, yet it was equally breathtaking, leaving fans in awe for a long time.
52:51 – The Pistons took the lead over the Lakers for the first time in this game.
In the final moments of the first half, Zhou Yi focused more on defense, with Kobe naturally becoming the biggest victim. As soon as Kobe got a chance, Zhou Yi would appear like a ghost right in front of him.
“Snap” – As Kobe hesitated whether to attack or pass, Zhou Yi intercepted the ball and carved his way to the basket, finishing with a powerful two-handed dunk.
Kobe dribbled across half-court and passed the ball to Derek Fisher to organize the offense. Derek Fisher’s sharp eyes scanned the court before he immediately launched an attack. Ron Artest and Derek Fisher set up a pick-and-roll; the latter moved to an open spot on the other side and shot a three-pointer, which went in. Finally, Derek Fisher scored for the Lakers, adding three points.
Zhou Yi controlled the ball, used a feint to deceive Derek Fisher, and took a jump shot from the free-throw line, also making it.
However, the Lakers’ star, Kobe, immediately responded with a three-pointer.
McGrady received a pass from Zhou Yi at the baseline, drove past defenders, and passed the ball to Greg Monroe. Greg Monroe raised the ball above his head to confuse his opponent before dunking.
Derek Fisher passed the ball back to Kobe, and Zhou Yi tried to close in to stop Kobe’s attack. Kobe quickly changed direction and broke free from Zhou Yi’s defense, driving to the basket and scoring.
Greg Monroe took a mid-range jump shot after receiving a pass from Zhou Yi, but missed. Kobe grabbed the rebound and rushed toward the Pistons’ half-court.
Kobe seemed like his peak self again, moving at top speed like lightning, instantly reaching the Pistons’ interior.
Zhou Yi tried his best to keep up with Kobe’s speed. Seeing Kobe about to dunk, Zhou Yi reflexively jumped up, trying to block him. But Kobe twisted his body and somehow stayed in the air for a moment before shooting, and the ball reluctantly fell into the basket.
“Beautiful shot. Kobe is simply too excellent in terms of both physical fitness and skills,” Zhou Yi thought to himself.
The more he played against Kobe, the more Zhou Yi realized just how terrifying Kobe could be.

He scored 55 points in the first finals game and 38 in the second; Kobe was still the same Kobe—old, but just as sharp.
Zhou Yi looked solemn, breathing heavily as he stared at the court. He drove with the ball, using Greg Monroe as a screen to get close to the basket, but Andrew Bynum was already in position waiting for Zhou Yi to drive in. With a flash in his eyes, Zhou Yi shifted sideways and passed the ball to Greg Monroe, who rushed into the paint. After catching the ball, Greg Monroe lost his balance and crashed into Paul Gasol, knocking him to the ground. The referee immediately blew the whistle—it was an offensive foul, and the Lakers gained possession.
Derek Fisher controlled the ball while directing his teammates to spread out. Once they were in position, Derek Fisher accelerated and drove past McGrady. Seeing no chance, he passed the ball to Ron Artest, who drove a bit before shooting a jump shot. The ball hit the back of the rim and bounced out. Ben Wallace secured the rebound among the crowd and passed it to Zhou Yi.
The Pistons’ offense still failed, and Kobe grabbed a defensive rebound and passed it to Derek Fisher. After receiving the ball, Derek Fisher dribbled briefly before making a clever pass to Paul Gasol. Paul Gasol faced Greg Monroe alone, feinted, and although Greg Monroe wasn’t fooled, Paul Gasol feinted again, causing Greg Monroe to jump. Delighted, Paul Gasol drove to the basket against Greg Monroe. Though the drive didn’t go in, it resulted in a defensive foul from Greg Monroe, achieving the same effect.
Seeing that Greg Monroe had already accumulated three fouls before half-time was over, John Kuester immediately substituted him out with Samuel Dalembert.
Paul Gasol took to the free-throw line, but strangely missed both shots. Samuel Dalembert grabbed the rebound and passed it to Zhou Yi. Paul Gasol looked frustrated, while Greg Monroe appeared pleased, muttering to himself, “That foul was worth it. But I can’t get fooled again.”
After coming in, Samuel Dalembert immediately formed a double tower with Ben Wallace, putting immense pressure on the Lakers’ front line. Yet Lakers head coach Phil Jackson remained calm, showing no signs of frustration.

As Zhou Yi and the other perimeter players took to the court alongside Samuel Dalembert, an air of ease immediately settled in. Ben Gordon and Samuel Dalembert combined to wreak havoc inside the opponent’s defense, leaving Andrew Bynum and Paul Gasol unable to contain them. In no time, the Pistons took the lead under the leadership of Samuel Dalembert and Ben Gordon. However, the Lakers immediately launched a fierce counterattack, led by their star Kobe Bryant. Zhou Yi’s defense wasn’t up to par, and he couldn’t stop Kobe from performing at his best. With his diverse offensive skills—3-pointers, mid-range shots, drives, and dunks—Zhou Yi had no way of containing him. Under Kobe’s leadership, the Lakers scored a 11-4 run, quickly regaining the lead. Seeing their opponent getting better and better, John Kuester called a timeout with three minutes left in the first half to make adjustments to the lineup. After the timeout, John Kuester replaced the veteran Ben Wallace with Taylor Hansbrough. Zhou Yi drove with the ball, using his teammates’ screens to break free from Kobe’s pursuit. But just then, “The Beast” Ron Artest suddenly appeared in front of him. Zhou Yi frowned slightly but didn’t slow down; instead, he accelerated even more. “Hmph,” growled The Beast as he clung tightly to Zhou Yi. Zhou Yi then switched hands behind his back and broke through to the left of Ron Artest, racing straight toward the basket. Yet Ron Artest didn’t give up and continued to chase after him. Zhou Yi leaped into the air, holding the ball in his right hand, seemingly ready to dunk it with one hand. But at that moment, Ron Artest also jumped up, stretching out his massive hand, aiming for the ball in Zhou Yi’s possession. With a thud, Zhou Yi managed to dunk the ball despite Artest’s pressure, but he was knocked out of the court by The Beast. The nearest spectator was also hit hard by Zhou Yi. He fell straight into a spectator’s arms and took a long time to get up. But a sound of dripping caught everyone’s attention. Blood was flowing nonstop from Zhou Yi’s chin onto the floor. The referee immediately called a timeout and rushed over to Zhou Yi. Chapter 424: The Twin Shooters Shine Again. “How are you?” the referee asked anxiously as he rushed to Zhou Yi’s side.

Zhou Yi touched his chin, his hands covered in blood, and smiled at the referee, saying, “It’s nothing, just a superficial injury.” At that moment, John Kuester and the team doctor rushed over as well. “Go down and clean it up, then get it properly checked,” John Kuester said in an unyielding tone. Seeing this, Zhou Yi couldn’t help but smile—he knew that despite his role as a coach, John Kuester still cared deeply about him. With the help of the team doctor, Zhou Yi left the court. Seeing Zhou Yi leave injured, the Pistons’ fans sighed helplessly and grew angry at the culprit, the beast Allen Astin. Meanwhile, the Lakers’ fans were overjoyed to see their nemesis leave the court. After Zhou Yi left, the game continued. However, the second half ended soon after. …… Second half. Zhou Yi orchestrated the Pistons’ offense, with Tracy McGrady serving as his partner on the backcourt. McGrady pulled to the perimeter to receive the ball, then grabbed it with one hand, his sharp gaze scanning the entire court. Shannon Brown had already closed in, crouching in a defensive stance. Suddenly, McGrady stepped forward, quickly blocking Shannon Brown behind him, then stopped abruptly and shot a jump shot. With a swish, the basketball went through the net. Kobe took a crossover step, turned past Zhou Yi, and passed the ball to James Harden. After catching the ball, Harden cut through from the middle and threw up a layup, scoring. On the Pistons’ side, Zhou Yi drove the ball repeatedly before suddenly using a crossover to shake off Kobe’s defense, charging toward the basket and jumping up. Paul Gasol quickly jumped to try and block him. But instead of attempting a layup or dunk, Zhou Yi swiftly passed the ball to Tyler Hansbrough behind Gasol. Upon receiving the ball, Hansbrough immediately jumped up and dunked with ease. Kobe drove with the ball, making a beautiful spin to get past Zhou Yi, but the moment he turned, he was intercepted by McGrady, who had attacked from the side. McGrady quickly launched a fast break, but only Zhou Yi followed. Kobe also reacted quickly, returning to defense. McGrady passed the ball to Zhou Yi, who dribbled twice before passing it back to McGrady. As they rushed toward the basket, McGrady pretended to shoot but actually passed the ball to Zhou Yi. However, Kobe wasn’t fooled and closed in on Zhou Yi.

Zhou Yi didn’t take the ball but instead pushed it to the upper right corner of the basket. Kobe muttered under his breath that he had been tricked and quickly turned to defend McGrady. But it was too late—McGrady quickly jumped up, caught the ball in mid-air, and scored. Not only that, but Kobe also committed a defensive foul. This series of dazzling passes immediately earned loud cheers from a few Pistons fans. The two commentators also praised the coordination between Zhou Yi and McGrady.

Phil Jackson took advantage of McGrady’s free throws by substituting Shannon Brown for Steve Blake and Lamar Odom for Ron Artest. The Pistons’ lineup also saw some changes, with James Posey entering the game in place of Andre Iguodala. McGrady made his free throws, including the extra shot. At this point, Steve Blake was paired up with Zhou Yi, with Steve Blake driving the ball to orchestrate the Lakers’ offense. Steve Blake forced his way past Zhou Yi, who closely guarded him. Knowing Zhou Yi’s skills, Steve Blake didn’t engage in a head-on battle but immediately passed the ball away.

Lamar Odom received the ball, feinted, then shot a jump shot. With a “thud,” the ball bounced off the rim. Taylor Hansbrough grabbed the rebound and quickly passed it to Zhou Yi. Zhou Yi rushed down the court unimpeded into the opponent’s three-second area. After tricking Paul Gasol into jumping, he shot, but missed. Paul Gasol easily secured the rebound.

Steve Blake used Kobe’s pick-and-roll to break into the Pistons’ paint, then passed the ball to Kobe, who had moved to the other side of the court. Kobe shot a three-pointer and made it. Zhou Yi quickly broke through, then turned, bypassing Steve Blake, who was guarding him, and headed to the basket. Facing the opponent’s block, Zhou Yi wasn’t afraid at all—he flicked his wrist, sending the ball toward James Posey, who was already waiting at the zero-degree three-point line. James Posey caught the ball without adjusting and shot immediately, creating a swirl around the basket net. “Nice assist,” one of the commentators said with a smile.

The Pistons inbounded the ball, and Zhou Yi took it to organize the offense. Zhou Yi broke through from the baseline, with Steve Blake closely guarding him. Zhou Yi turned and entered the three-second area, then passed the ball to Taylor Hansbrough. After catching it, Hansbrough used DeQuan Cook as a screen to go one-on-one and scored with a low shot. Steve Blake broke through and passed the ball, benefiting Paul Gasol, who caught it and immediately shot a jump shot and made it.

After Zhou Yi drove to the front court, he passed the ball to McGrady, who was waiting to receive it. McGrady broke through and passed the ball again to Tyler Hansbrough in the paint. Tyler Hansbrough didn’t rush to attack; instead, he dribbled and used his body to block Paul Gasol, then made a beautiful pass to Greg Monroe on the other side. Greg Monroe was playing as a power forward, facing Andrew Bynum. Pushing against Andrew Bynum, Greg Monroe suddenly spun and took a backspin jump shot, which also went in. After catching the ball, McGrady organized the offense while Zhou Yi moved around to find open space. Suddenly, McGrady twisted his wrist sideways, sending the ball straight toward Zhou Yi, who was rushing into the paint. Steve Blake hurried after it, while Paul Gasol and Andrew Bynum prepared to help defend. But Zhou Yi didn’t catch the ball; instead, he deflected it, causing the ball to change direction and land in Tyler Hansbrough’s hands behind Paul Gasol. Without hesitation, Tyler Hansbrough jumped and dunked with both hands. Steve Blake dribbled across half-court, accelerating his breakthrough to create scoring opportunities for his teammates. Seeing Paul Gasol charge into the paint from the wing, Steve Blake quickly passed the ball directly to him. Paul Gasol tried to lay it up right away but missed, and Zhou Yi grabbed the rebound. Zhou Yi held the ball and organized the offense before passing it to McGrady on the left wing. McGrady dribbled, constantly observing the situation on the court. Suddenly, he turned his back, stepped back quickly, and faced Steve Blake head-on. Leveraging his experience and skills, he slightly tilted his body and bent down, lowering his center of gravity. Even before making any move, he already made Steve Blake nervous. “Tap, tap, tap”—McGrady suddenly sped up his dribbling, leaning his upper body forward sharply and taking a big step forward with his right foot. Seeing this, already nervous Steve Blake instinctively stepped back. For him, it was enough as long as he didn’t let McGrady get an easy shooting chance, so he chose to follow defend. But he still misjudged! McGrady, who had straightened up, suddenly bent down again like an arrow, speeding past Kobe’s left side and into the three-point line. He stopped abruptly near the right side of the free-throw line and easily made a jump shot. This time, his teammates had created plenty of space for him.

“Thud!” Paul Gasol’s shot missed, and James Posey quickly grabbed the rebound. He immediately passed the ball to Zhou Yi, who, without hesitation, threw it to McGrady, who was speeding up on the left wing. McGrady dashed forward, soon encountering the Lakers’ defensive line retreating. Once again, he chose to pass, handing the ball to Zhou Yi, who was closing in.

Zhou Yi accelerated his drive, and Kobe, defending McGrady, quickly stepped back to guard him. But Zhou Yi didn’t do that instead; he leaned against Kobe and passed the ball to McGrady, who was lurking just beyond the three-point line.

“Swish!” After catching the ball at the top of the key, McGrady immediately took a three-point shot. Steve Blake and Lamar Odom, standing behind Zhou Yi, could only pray the ball wouldn’t go in—but against all odds, it did.

McGrady lowered his right hand after shooting and high-fived Zhou Yi, who had rushed over, before retreating to defend.

Lamar Odom received a pass from Kobe and used his strong frame to push against McGrady, then stepped back for a jump shot, which also went in.

Zhou Yi, who was coordinating the offense, deliberately slowed down and slowly approached the right sideline where Kobe was. He moved diagonally inward, breaking into the three-point line—now was the time.

Zhou Yi pushed backward, spun sharply, easily blocking Kobe’s left side, and accelerated toward the basket. At the moment of his drive, he exchanged a brief glance with McGrady, who immediately understood and started moving into position.

Kobe moved ahead, taking big steps to block Zhou Yi’s path, closely following him, but he soon faced consequences.

“Thud”—the ball hit the floor and bounced toward McGrady, who was alone just beyond the three-point line. With confidence, he shot, and “swish”—the ball went in. McGrady waved his arm wildly and roared in triumph.

As soon as Kobe caught the ball, he rushed toward the Pistons’ half-court at an astonishing speed. Lamar Odom came over to screen, and Kobe took the opportunity to drive to the Pistons’ basket and score a layup.

On the Pistons’ side, after Zhou Yi’s missed jump shot, Greg Monroe grabbed the offensive rebound and passed it to Samuel Dalembert, who scored a layup.

With a thud, Kobe’s jump shot missed, and Greg Monroe secured the rebound at the back court and passed it to Zhou Yi. Zhou Yi organized the offense, used his teammates’ screens to get past Kobe’s defense and reach near the paint line, feinted at Kobe, then passed the ball to Samuel Dalembert while running to the other side.

Paul Gasol spread his arms and stayed close to Samuel Dalembert. Left with no choice, Dalembert saw Zhou Yi open up behind him and quickly passed the ball to him, then went to screen for Zhou Yi, blocking Kobe behind him.

Zhou Yi took a deep breath and shot a jump shot, but once again, with a thud, the sound echoed through Staples Center. Zhou Yi shook his head helplessly and quickly retreated to defend.

Lamar Odom grabbed the rebound and quickly drove to the front court, paired up with Kobe, and scored near the free-throw line.

Chapter 425: All Out

Derek Fisher was in poor form today, especially under the Pistons’ intense defense, finding it extremely difficult to hold the ball. This might be related to his age, but the bigger issue was Zhou Yi’s pressuring defense. Although Zhou Yi mainly guarded Kobe, he also spent a lot of time guarding Fisher or helping out on him, which frustrated Fisher greatly.

A point guard performing poorly has a significant impact on a team’s offense. Although the Lakers’ main playing style revolved around Kobe and Paul Gasol, the center position could never be ignored.

Paul Gasol took the ball at the high post, raised it high above his head with his right hand, leaned back using his waist to push against Greg Monroe, and gently threw the ball, which floated softly toward the basket.

With Gasol holding his position, Andre Iguodala jumped high, trying to catch the ball in mid-air, but his jumping speed seemed a bit slow. Kobe, the “Little Flying Man,” darted upward, caught the ball, and scored two more points with a one-armed axe handle dunk.

79:76—the Pistons were now three points behind. Half of the third quarter had passed, and both teams’ head coaches were preparing to take their starters off the court for a break.

Zhou Yi’s skilled ball-handling near the free-throw line made the Lakers’ defenders hesitant to make any moves, prompting Kobe to quickly move in for a double-team.

Watching the calm Kobe in front of him, Zhou Yi suddenly leaned forward. Kobe didn’t dare to be careless—right behind him was the three-second zone. If Zhou Yi broke into that zone, the Lakers’ defense would be in a very disadvantaged position. He quickly focused, knowing it wouldn’t be easy for Zhou Yi to get through in such a crowded paint. His biggest concern was getting fouled by his opponent.

“Snap!” Zhou Yi pulled the ball sharply to the left like lightning and quickly broke through.

Kobe’s counter-defense was extremely fast. Watching the two locked in a stalemate, Paul Gasol tried to attack from behind, but unexpectedly, Zhou Yi suddenly emerged from the crowd and threw up a quick layup at the basket.

With almost simultaneous sounds of “swish” and “beep,” the referee signaled that Kobe had pushed him from behind—the shot counted, and an additional free throw was awarded.

Kobe quickly stepped forward to argue, claiming it was just a normal defensive move and no pushing. But from the referee’s perspective, he believed Kobe was indeed guilty of a foul and naturally wouldn’t change the call easily.

Kobe looked somewhat angry. Seeing the ball bounce on the floor, he grabbed it and smashed it down, muttering something under his breath. But he didn’t expect that this action would bring him trouble.

“Beep.” Under everyone’s watchful eyes, the referee wouldn’t let it go easily and immediately called a technical foul.

Watching Kobe still fuming, Zhou Yi smiled and then started to take his free throws. The first free throw went through cleanly, but the second, for the technical foul, bounced twice off the rim before barely falling in.

79:80—the Pistons took the lead again.

Taking advantage of a dead ball, the Lakers substituted Derek Fisher for Steve Blake.

Zhou Yi defended while retreating, while Kobe quickly drove the ball across half-court, skillfully moving around beyond the three-point line, observing the Lakers’ players’ movements.

“Hmph,” Zhou Yi couldn’t help but grunt. With Kobe’s sudden change of direction in his breakthrough, Zhou Yi tried to slide in to cover him but ended up crashing into Kobe instead.

An opening appeared at the three-point line. Without hesitation, Kobe jumped, twisted his wrist, and shot—a textbook three-point shot that went through the net, marking his fifth three-pointer of the game.

Zhou Yi’s continuous changes of direction didn’t faze Kobe at all. After two finals, Kobe had gained valuable insights into defending against Zhou Yi. Zhou Yi’s breakthrough skills were undoubtedly among the best in the league—a perfect blend of speed and technique. It was difficult to defend him solely based on technique, but Kobe’s physical strength gave him the means to limit Zhou Yi’s breakthroughs.

Kobe raised his arms high, concentrating fully on dealing with Zhou Yi’s lightning-fast starts. With a “snap,” Zhou Yi, who was fully tilted to the right, pulled his right hand behind his back and gently shook his wrist. The ball bounced off the floor and directly passed under Kobe’s legs.

Surprised by having his defense bypassed so easily, Kobe was momentarily stunned. Zhou Yi quickly straightened his body back and pressed tightly against Kobe’s side. Using Kobe’s body as leverage, Zhou Yi spun and appeared on his right side. Although Zhou Yi was inferior to Kobe in terms of physical strength, he likely had an edge in sudden explosive power—especially since Kobe no longer had the same burst as before.

Leveraging the tremendous rebound force from the physical confrontation, Zhou Yi launched himself forward, flying almost at a 45-degree angle in the air as he gently pushed the ball forward with his hands.

Kobe promptly raised his right hand. He had indeed made a slight movement earlier, but it was purely an instinctive reaction. With such minimal force, it was impossible to knock Zhou Yi away.

Yet Zhou Yi was clever—by leaping forward, he not only gained space to shoot but also exaggerated that slight movement. Though the initial move had been subtle, in basketball, calls tend to favor the attacker, especially in ambiguous situations, with the advantage going to the player holding the ball.

With a “swish,” the ball flew smoothly and landed neatly in the net.

Zhou Yi’s playing style today was clever—he delegated the responsibility of organizing the offense to McGrady, focusing instead on running without the ball and seizing opportunities to deliver a decisive blow. So far, the Lakers seem unable to deal with Zhou Yi; assigning a dedicated defender doesn’t pose much of a threat to him. As for double-teaming, the Pistons don’t have possession right now, so it seems ineffective. Moreover, besides Zhou Yi, the Pistons have many other excellent scorers.

As long as the Pistons maintain their current strategy, the Lakers will face a very tough match.

Free from the burden of organizing the team, Zhou Yi appeared extremely relaxed. His cheerful figure could be seen all over the court. Without exquisite passes or brilliant breakthroughs, he seemed to be running non-stop throughout the third quarter, moving freely inside and outside the paint, tearing apart the Lakers’ defense.

Phil Jackson watched Zhou Yi’s agile movements helplessly. Neither Derek Fisher nor the other veterans had the ability to provide one-on-one defense against him; Kobe was the best choice. With no other option, Phil Jackson simply allowed Zhou Yi to attack freely, focusing the defense on the other Pistons players. With the ball not in Zhou Yi’s hands, his threat was greatly reduced, and he never believed that individual strength could overcome an entire team.

Thanks to the Lakers’ leniency, Zhou Yi’s scoring kept rising. But to Phil Jackson’s frustration, as his scoring soared, his other stats also increased. He needed little time to possess the ball—just drawing defensive passes from the Lakers was enough to create numerous scoring opportunities.

“Swish!” Under the fierce defense of “The Beast” Aaron Asthon, Zhou Yi scored another three-pointer.

Ron Asthon gritted his teeth and glared angrily at Zhou Yi. He had been defending him all this time, yet it hadn’t had much effect, which angered The Beast greatly.

Phil Jackson adjusted his glasses and immediately called a timeout.

The score on the court was now 90:83. With Zhou Yi, this rookie superstar, leading them, the Pistons were already 7 points ahead of the Lakers.